This invention generally relates to sanitizing devices and more specifically to hot air sanitizers used to disinfect household products, specifically nursery, bathroom and kitchen products.
A current trend in the fight against transmittal of germs is the use of anti-bacterial products. For example, many hand soaps have added anti-bacterial ingredients. Sterilization devices have been developed to sanitize objects that may have bacteria upon their surface. Minimizing the presence of bacteria is particularly important in the case of infants because they are more susceptible to infection. Infants also have a tendency to place toys and other objects, potentially contaminated with undesirable bacteria, within their mouths. Typical undesirable bacteria include: Streptococcus Group B, Streptococcus Group A, Hemopholis Influenza, Streptococcus Pneumonia, and Pseudomonas Aeruginosa.
Typical sterilization devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,529 (Bottle Sterilizer) to Hoeck, U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,207 (Recirculating High Velocity Hot Air Sterilizing Device) to Archer et. al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,706 (Sanitizer for Bathroom Articles) to Murdock, III. These devices are not desirable for use on all household items. The Hoeck ""529 patent describes a sterilizer which utilizes steam to destroy pathogenic microorganisms. This type of sterilizer would not be effective in disinfecting plush toys. Steam would dampen the plush toys.
The Archer ""207 patent utilizes hot air to disinfect dental and surgical metal instruments. Preferably air having a temperature in a range from 350 degrees Fahrenheit to 400 degrees Fahrenheit is used. However, it is not desirable to use such hot air in a household device. If the disinfection process is terminated before completion, the operator could be harmed by making contact with very hot items.
The Murdock III patent utilizes a germicidal lamp to sanitize a bathroom article, such as a toothbrush. Articles are hung from spring clips in order to be exposed to the ultraviolet light from the germicidal lamp. However, unlike hot air which may penetrate into and between articles which are placed in close contact with each other, light requires the bathroom articles to be arranged apart from each other to avoid shadowing. Fewer articles can be sanitized utilizing this process and more time must be spend arranging these articles.
A safe, simple, inexpensive, and effective method to destroy bacteria upon household products is desired. Further, an inexpensive device which utilizes this method and can be safely used in the home is desired.
The present invention overcomes these and other disadvantages of the prior art by providing an improved sanitizing device. The invention provides in one aspect, a sanitizing device for household products, such as nursery, bathroom or kitchen products, including a heating element, a vented sanitizing chamber including integrally formed, protruding spacers, and a fan which moves air across the heating element and into the sanitizing chamber.
The invention provides in another aspect a method used for sanitizing household products including placing the products within a sanitizing chamber, contacting the products with air which has been heated to a desired temperature.
The invention provides a simple way to sanitize both plastic and plush household products. A principle advantage of the invention is that the products, because of a superior spacer system, do not need to be specially arranged to guarantee full sanitization. A novel ventilation system keeps the products from overheating and allows the products to cool down quickly after being sanitized. Thus, the products may be removed quickly from the device and used again in the household.
These and other aspects of the invention are herein described in particularized detail with reference to the accompanying Figures.